In 1938, the first “oceanarium” opened at Marineland in St. Augustine, Florida, U.S.A., a venture more ambitious than any previous aquarium. Two large pools mimicked the ocean, 100x40x18-ft deep and 75-ft diam. x 12-ft deep stocked with marine life living together, including tropical fish, sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and even whales. The idea began as an underwater film studio. Nine months of construction began in 1937. Its cost of $500,000 was raised by men with family fortunes, including W. Douglas Burden, Count Ilia Tolstoy and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney (co-founder of Pan American Airlines). An adjacent town was also built for tourists with hotel, gas station, bus station, gift shop, beachfront and dock. The facility quickly became a very popular attraction, drawing also scientists, writers and celebrities.«http://marine-land.com/opening.htm Marineland: Images of America, by Cheryl Messinger and Terran McGinnis. - book suggestion.